Wash-tub



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W111. ANDERSON.

I WASH TUB. No. 417,351. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889.

(No Model.) 7 I 2' Shets-.S1Ieet"2. I W. H. ANDERSON.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. ANDERSON, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

WASH-TUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 417,351, dated December 1'7, 1889. Application filed March 23, 1889. Serial No, 304,406x (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that, I, WILLIAM H. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Riverside, San Bernardino county, California, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements in Combined Bath and Laundry Tubs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which-- a Figure 1 is a perspective view of my tu adapted for bathing purposes. Fig. 2 is a similar View of it adapted for laundry purposes. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken through the line a: a: of Fig. 4:. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken through the line y y of Fig. 3; and

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views.

My invention relates to combined bath and laundry tubs, which, by the addition or removal of a few pieces, can be readily c011- verted from the one to the other; and it has for its objects to produce such a tub as will be simple, cheap, and efficient; and it consists in the construction'and combination of parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same figuresof reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures, 1 indicates the body of the tub, which can be made of any suitable material, of the ordinary length and size in use for bath-tubs, and is supported on suitable legs 2 2. Upon or around the top of the tub is placed a rectangular frame 3, which is rounded upon its upper inner edge to prevent injury to the person of the bather, and also to give it a more finished appearance, while the lower inner edge of the frame is provided with a rabbet 4, which fits closely around the top of the tub and keeps it in place, and also assists in holding the upper portion of the tub together.

The water is fed from the ordinary hot and cold water pipes 5 and 6 to the tub by means of a pipe 7, which extends from one end of the tub and along one side just below the frame 3, and is provided with several inlets 8 8, which extend through that side of the tub into the interior. These inlets or openin gs are closed by means of suitable plugs or stoppers 9 9, although other means of closing them can be used. The end of the pipe which receives the water from the pipes 5 and 6 is provided with a funnel 10, which fits in a hole in that end of the frame 3, thus enabling the supply of water to be tempered and regulated by the use of only one set of faucets. The water is let out of the tub through the wastepipe 11, which extends longitudinally along underneath the bottom of the tub, and is provided with as many short outlet-pipes 12 12 through the bottom of the tub as there are inlet-pipes 8 8 near the top of the tub. Each of these outlets is provided with an ordinary plug 13, by means of which any or all of the outlets may be closed or opened.

Owing to the necessary use of the legs 2 2 to adapt the tub for laundry purposes, the top of the tub is too high from the floorfor convenience in taking a bath. To obviate this objection, I provide one side of the tub with a swinging or folding platform 14, which is hinged at its lower edge to the bottom of the tub, or, more particularly, to the cross-pieces 15 15, upon which the tub rests. The outer edge of this platform, when in use or in its horizontal position, is supported at the same height from the floor as the inner edge by means of a frame 16, which answers the purpose of legs, although separate legs could be used instead,'if desired. This frame is hinged at its upper edge'to the outer rail of the frame 17 upon the lower side of the platform 14, and is of such a size as that when the platform is folded up against the side of the tub, as shown in Fig. 2, it fits within the frame 17, thus causing the two frames to occupy only the same space as would be occupied by one. The platform is held in its elevated position at theside of the tub by means of a turn-button 18 or any other retaining device.

\Vhen it is desired to take a bath, the outlets in the bottom are closed and the tub filled by opening the faucets of the supply-pipes 5 and 6. The platform is then let down so that it will form a step about midway between the floor and the top of the tub, the feet or other supporting devices swinging out from the platform automatically as it is lowered into position and forming a very substantial and convenient support for the platform. The bather can then readily step from the floor to the platform and from there into the tub as easily as though the tub were placed upon the floor in the usual manner. To prevent pain or injury to the person of the bather while getting into or out of the tub, the upper outer edge of the front rail of the frame 3 is rounded off in the same manner as the inner edges of the frame. For convenience to the bather while in the bath a rest or support 18 is temporarily secured by means of hooks or other fasteners at one end of the tub, and upon which the head is laid. When the tub is to be emptied and cleaned or used for other purposes, the support is removed by unloosening the ends from the hooks at the sides of the tub. The plugs in the outlets at the bottom of the tub are then removed, and the water finds its way into and out of the waste-pipe 11.

\Vhen it is desired to use the tub for laundry purposes, the interior of the tub is easily and quickly subdivided into compartments or chambers by use of the removable walls or partitions 19 10, the ends and bottom of each of which are covered by some compressible or yielding material 20-such as rubber, cloth, or other fibrous substance-which renders each compartmentwater-tight and completely separated from the others. The top of each partition is provided with a cleat 21, the ends of which project slightly beyond the ends of the partition and form shoulders which fit in notches or recesses 29 22, cut into the inner edges of the front and rear rails of the frame 3. By arranging these notches directly opposite each other the partition is made to stand across the tub, and the ends, which are slightly inclined to the bottom to correspond with the flare of sides of the tub, are made to fit snug and tight without the use of grooves or guides upon the sides of the tub. Each wall or partition is secured and .held in position by means of a rod which is screw-threaded at its lower end and extends down through a hole 24: through the middle of the partition. 'lhe screw-threaded portion of the rod projects through the bottom of the tub and fits within anut 25, which is held in place by a recessed block 26, which is secured upon the under side of the tub, so as to be water-tight; otherwise the tub would leak when used for a bath; or the holes in the bottom of the tub through which the lower end of the rod passes could be closed by means of a plug or stopper. The upper end of the rod projects up through the cleat on top of the partition, and is provided with a cross-arm 27 or other means by which the rod may be turned. Near the upper end of the rod is rigidly secured or formed a collar 28, which fits within a recess 29 upon the under side of the cleat 21, so that by screwing up the red the collar presses upon the top of the partition and forces it down, causing its ends and bottom to be drawn tightly against the bottom and sides of the tub and making it fit water-tight. By unscrewing the red the collar is forced against the clcat, and, as the nut cannot move away from the bottom of the tub on account of the block 26, the partition, and with it the entire wall or partition, is raised or lifted away from the bottom and sides of the tub. Ordinary washers may be placed within the recess 29 and prevent the collar from wearing the cleat or partition. By means of this construction the operation of the partitions is rendered positive both in removing them or placing them in position, and the use of grooves or guides upon the bottom is obviated.

\Vhen it is desired to use the tub for laundry purposes, the partitions are placed in position with the shoulders at their tops fitting into the recesses at the top of the tub, and the rods are then turned until the partitions are water-tight. Each tub or compartment is then filled with hot or cold water, as desired, by closing all the inlets except to the compartment that is being filled, and then regulating the temperature of the water by the faucets of the hot and cold water pipes. After one compartment has been filled itsinlot can be closed and the inlet of another compartment opened. In this manner the whole tub can be filled without lifting or carrying a drop of water, and if the contents of any compartment requires it can be tempered by the addition of hot or cold water, or it may be emptied completely by removing the plug into the waste-pipe without aifect ing the contents of the other compartments. By securing the wringer to either of the partitions the clothes can be passed from one compartment to the other by simply passing them through the wringer.

It is evident from the foregoing thatby the use of my combined tub much valuable space about a house can be utilized and the cost so reduced that many persons who could not afford to have the two can provide themselves with them at a cost that will but slightly exceed the cost of either separate.

ll'aving described my invention, I claim- 1. In a combined bath and laundry tub, the combination, with the body, of a frame upon its top, the inner edges of the front and back rail of which are notched or recessed oppositely to each other, and removable partitions, the tops of each of which are provided with shoulders or projections to fit within the notches of the frames.

2. In a combined bath and laundr tub, the combination, with the body, the bottom of which is provided with holes or perforations, of a recessed block over each hole upon the under side of the bottom, a nut within each block, removable partitions, and a retaining-rod for each partition, the lower end of which is screw-threaded and projects through the hole in the bottom of the body and engages with the nut within the recessed block.

In a combined bath and laundry tub, the combination, with the body, the bottom of which is provided with holes or perforations, of a frame, the inner edges of the front and back rail of which are notched or retaining-rod for each partition, the upper end of which is provided with a collar to engage with the partition and with the under side of the cleats upon its top, and the lower end is screw-threaded to engage with the nut, whereby the partition can be forced against or released from contact with the sides of the body and a water-tight joint be formed without the use of grooves or guides upon the interior of the body of the tub.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I hereby subscribe my name and aflix my seal in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. ANDERSON. [L.S.] Witnesses:

W. S. BOYD, D. F. SARBER. 

